Touch the Darkness, Claim the Light
by IllusionOfAghony
Summary: Every light needs a darkness and sometimes in the darkest of places one can find the purest of that illusive innocence. Bakura/uke Seto. Yugi/Marik and Jou/Mokuba WARNING MATURE FOR A REASON! YAOI!
1. Part 1 SETO

_**Yu-Gi-Oh!, and the characters therein, are the property of Kazuki Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or 4Kids Ent., FUNimation, TV Tokyo/NAS/Studio Gallop**_

_A quick thank you to my pal __sonata hirano__ for all her help and __Ireina Kurotsuki__for their help and BETAing and stuff!_

_Boredom; an odd thing that leaves little but ideas to play with, there are going to be four of these 'history logs' one for Seto, one for Ryou and one for Yugi and Marik._

_**Touch the Darkness, Claim the Light**_

**Part 1: Seto**

_**Every light needs a darkness and sometimes in the darkest of places one can find the purest of that illusive innocence.**_

**Earliest memory**

The feeling of safety fled as his mother place him into the arms of this stranger, he didn't like this man, his aura was evil and it was all the infant, only weeks old could do not to cry out for its parents, its beloved mother and father. For some reason he knew that crying would get him no where, his parents trusted this man and as he was gently rocked he opened his eyes blinking at the brightness around him to look up at this creature who cradled him. The man was handsome, though the baby didn't truly comprehend the meaning of the word, with thick dark hair and grey eyes.

"He's beautiful Lily, he has your eyes," the man said, his voice rumbling out of his chest, his voice carrying ill hidden obsession behind a warm facade. "He looks just like little Seth did," he commented and his mother murmured something his still weak hearing could not pick up but what ever it was made the man holding him laugh, "Hello little Seto," the man murmured looking down at him, staring into his alien blue eyes.

"My name is Uncle Yomi, and I'll always be there for you…"

**Age 5**

"_MAMMA_! Don't hurt Mamma! Daddy _please_!" the young boy cried holding a small infant to his chest, huddled in the far corner as he watched his stepfather repeatedly hit his mother, the woman's thick brown hair hiding her bruised face from her sons' view. Fear flooded his small fragile form as he clutched to the months old child looking away as a shadow fell over them. Another child, older, wiser stepping into the room his blue-blue eyes tired as they took in the scene and looked over to the other blue eyed boy.

_Seto…_

"Seto…run, take Mokie and get out of here!" Seth snapped stepping in front of his younger brother his small face-hardened with the truth of their stepfathers' abuse. He'd been watching this from the start, only a year ago when the man had married their weak willed, submissive mother; he knew what their 'daddy' did to Seto late at night. "But-" Seto started only to be glared at by his older sibling and stood sobbing at the pain in his rear end and legs and limped through the doorway. Looking back he whispered, "We'll get help…yes we'll get help."

"Don't you step one foot out side the front fucking door boy. I swear to god, I will kill the bitch and then make you rue the day you were born!" 'Daddy' shouted and he sobbed falling into a jog as the child in his arms woke and began to wail.

"Hush Mokie, big brother will make daddy stop," he whispered reaching the bottom of the stairs and looking back as he opened the door he whimpered watching Seth fly back his back smacking into the wall. Shivering Seto looked toward the door to the room he had just fled through and he whined as he felt it.

The same feeling he'd gotten when Grandfather had died. The same feeling he'd gotten when he'd watched his 'daddy' push his father, 'daddy's' best friend down a flight of wooden stairs just before mamma married him, before Mokie had come into both of his older brothers lives.

The only welcomed thing that _man_ had ever done to the blue eyed brothers.

"HELP!" Seto sobbed running across the court to Mr and Mrs Potters, a lovely old couple who watched over them when their mother was 'ill'.

Wrapping on the door as hard as he could Seto looked back at his house and whimpered, watching the shadows of death cover the two story building, "Seto…Seto honey what's wrong?" Mrs Potter asked and Seto looked up tears streaming down his face.

"Daddy's angry, he's hurting mamma! He threw Seth into a wall!" Seto sobbed as Mr Potter came to the door and nodded, "Come in, we'll call help okay little one," he said and the boy shook his head, "Seth's still there! I-I have to help big brother," Seto said handing the elderly woman his infant brother. Turning before either could protest he sprinted back to his house and his brother, who lay much like a broken toy at the foot of the stairs.

"I told you boy!" Daddy thundered at the child, glancing up, away from his brothers broken form Seto let out a sob and then with the smack of flesh on flesh and a heavy thud the child's world went black.

**Age 6**

"Seto," a voice called and the child looked up away from his folded hands, blue eyes flashing fear as he met the unfamiliar face of the police officer. "Seto, can you tell us why you went to the Potter house?" he asked and Seto blinked looking over to his 'daddy' who was glaring at him with hate filled eyes and he thought of his big brother, who lay in a coma in the hospital, the older boy yet to wake months after his fall. Of little Mokuba who would now have to live his life never knowing their beloved mothers' warmth.

Seto knew he understood things others his age didn't, he knew he was special, that all of them, Seth, Mokuba and he where smarter than others their age and some who weren't. But that didn't mean that adults took them seriously. It didn't mean that they would believe him over his 'daddy'.

But he would try to make them understand.

"Daddy was hurting Mamma, he kept hitting her, and she was crying and big brother told me to run, to get away. I wanted to help but I…" he said looking over to the sympathising faces of the jury and knew that he looked pitiful. "I wasn't sure I could help them so I went to Mr and Mrs Potter. They're nice and take care of us when Mamma gets sick," he said looking back to the cop.

"Have you witnessed him hurting your Mamma before or your brother?" the man asked and Seto blinked and nodded, "When he gets angry with us or if he's had too much to drink. Mamma didn't like alcohol in the house, it made her nervous."

"Did Mr Oita, your 'daddy' ever do anything that made you…uncomfortable?" the cop asked and Seto frowned, "What's your name?"

"I'm Aito Ehime, I'm a police officer," the man said with a small smile and Seto nodded, "And what do you mean by _uncomfortable_, do you mean putting me in his lap? Pretending to have spiders in his hands and faking to throw them at me? Or the other stuff?"

"What other stuff Seto?" the man beside him asked looking down at the blue eyed child whom showed a surprising maturity and intelligence and the child looked up at him and said, "Daddy didn't always stay in his bed with Mamma. He liked to come and play with me at night. I didn't like it. It hurt."

Gasps filled the court room and Seto's eyes darted to Mr Yomi Oita, the man he had called daddy for almost two years now and watched in horror as he stood his chair fell to the floor his face a mask of unveiled rage and hate. "You little bitch! You filthy little whore! How dare you!" he snarled and Seto looked down at his hands, shoulders rounding as the blood left his face and he whimpered. Tears falling onto his folded hands.

"Mr O'Connor control your client, or I will have the charges of contempt added to his already lengthily list!" the judge snapped before looking at the boy and asked quietly "Are you alright son?"

"I want my brothers," Seto said softly looking up at the chubby old man and blinked tear filled eyes, "Can I go now? I want Mokie and Seth. I don't wanna be here any more." The sudden show of his real age broke the judges' heart, along with the fact that at such a young tender age he already understood that his mother was no longer there for him and he nodded, "sure, would it be alright if later we asked some more questions?"

"…Only if Seth's there…I…I don't wanna be alone," Seto mumbled and the judge smiled, looking back to the room his face falling into grim lines as he shouted, "We're going for a short break, I expect everyone back here at 2:30!"

Standing timidly as the counsellor lady, Mrs Judas-Nightingale, a tall American woman, walked over to him Seto looked back at the judge, "I tried to say no. I did," he said and the judge nodded. "Good, son, you're allow to tell people no if you really don't want to," he said and Seto nodded looking back at the woman saying, "I want Seth, I want my big brother."

**Age 8**

Meeting Mr Kaiba dark eyes Seto looked back down at the bored, he had to win, _had to_, Seth, Mokuba and he wouldn't last much longer here, Seth already 11 and they had overheard that there was little chance that he would ever get adopted. Wheel chair and all, little chance of Seto getting adopted because of his sketchy past and submissive nature. He listened to few but those he did he was completely subservient to. Only Mokuba had a real chance at a _real_ home, and they were impeding that by not wanting to let him go. By his refusal to leave his big brothers.

This Gozabura was their ticket out of the orphanage, out and together, safe from those who would tear then apart. "So boy if you win I have to adopt you and your little brother is that it?" Kaiba asked his voice patronising and Seto didn't even bother to look up as he answered, "My big brother, Seth, and little brother Mokuba and I yes." Small fingers went to a chess piece then away, the child's thumb nail ending up pressed to the child's mouth, small white teeth scrapping against the cells of living tissue.

"Come on boy, we don't have all day," Kaiba snipped as reporters took photo after photo of him playing a chess match against the orphan as other rich folk looked around the orphanage in boredom, some looking at the children others watching slow game. "If you rush you lose," Seto murmured before reaching out to the piece he had almost touched and moved it before saying "Check mate."

Dark eyes of the older man rushed to the table and he had to bite his tongue to keep from swearing like a sailor, the boy was right, he was in Check mate. Bitter rage filled him and he looked at the small, fragile child and said "Very well, good game, get your' brothers ready, I'll be taking you home tomorrow."

Nodding Seto stood then paused, "My older brother is in a wheeler chair, bring the right vehicle," he said then slipped through the crowd as someone patted his shoulder tusking at him. "Beaten by a child. Why I heard that boy is no older than eight my friend," a smooth voice came. Spinning around ready to do some real damage to who ever had just said that Mr Kaiba stopped when face with Mr and Mrs Crawford and their son Maximillion J with his fiancee, Cyndia.

"Indeed, well it's a good thing I went easy on him, I need a new heir since Noa passed on," he said cockily and Mr Crawford nodded, "True, very true. You'll have three by the end of tomorrow, what joy. You must bring them to our summer island this year!"

Nodding Kaiba noticed the sons eyes where on him and he had the feeling the boy knew he had been lying through his teeth, he didn't want a new heir, if he felt in need of one he'd go fuck some bitch and impregnate her with his seed.

**Age 9**

"Hush Seto…shush," Mokuba whispered as Seth cleaned his brothers' wounds, the bloodied scraps looking very angry. Tears stream down his face as he whispered "I'm sorry big brother. I didn't mean to knock it over."

"I know Mokie," Seto said his voice strained as he glanced up, blue eyes shinning through his hair, "Its okay little brother, it doesn't hurt all that much, honest." Looking at Seth Seto met his older brothers bitter, rage filled eyes and mouthed 'Love you' bringing a small smile to the 12 year olds lips.

"Listen to Seto Mokuba, he knows what he's talking about," Seth said washing the cloth in the bowl of warm water that sat on his legs, having been paralysed from the waist down since his fall some four years ago. It was a bitter thing to go from the protector to the protected, especially when it was your younger brother who was weaker than you, who was, for all accounts, already partially broken from previous treatment.

"Seto…if he ever hurts you, like what 'daddy' did, you'll tell me right?" he asked later that night as Seto lay beside him on the bed the three had shared since they had moved in six months ago. "Sure…do you think he'll take no as an answer Seth? Daddy never did but Judge-man said its okay to say no if you really don't want it," Seto asked his voice small and Seth looked over at his brother and smiled. A tight lipped, pained, bitter smile full of self-loathing and disapproval, as he said, "no, I don't think he will If he tries, say no, but if he doesn't stop just…just let it happen, don't make him hurt you."

"Okay,"

**Age 12**

Seto lay limply, dead blue eyes staring up at the white wash ceiling as the man, his adoptive father, Gozaburo Kaiba, thrust harshly into his already abused channel, he was numb to the pain of this now. The monster had started over a year ago and it had hurt, just as it had with his 'daddy'. And he had never for filled his promise to Seth, had never breathed a word to either of his brothers about what the man did to him almost nightly now. He'd been banned from sleeping with his brothers, as they had for years now, only a few weeks before the abuse had begun.

"That's a good little whore!" the beast purred above him after a particularly hard thrust that had pulled a soft grunt from his throat, pain tearing up his spine under the constant assault. It would end soon, though, he had it all planed out. Seth had to turn eighteen, first though otherwise it wouldn't work. Let the man think he had it all under his control, it was only a matter of time before he would realise he was just another pawn in the chess game.

**Age 14**

"Seto! How long has this been going on?" Seth demanded the bedridden teen he was tending, Gozaburo never called in doctors for his heir, and no one was allowed to care for his wounds except Mokuba and himself. The beast of a businessman said that they had to earn their keep. His bright, focused blue eyes met his brothers cold, almost deadened ones and silence reined as Mokuba bustled in carrying a tray of goods to clean up the elder boy.

"Answer me!" Seth hissed, long fingers curling around the arm rests of his wheelchair, "…since I was eleven, about three weeks after he stopped allowing me to sleep with you two," came a nearly broken murmur and the sixteen year old swore. "I'll kill him!" he raged as Mokuba washed some of the blood from Seto's angular face.

"No," Seto whispered harshly, his throat swollen after Gozaburo had decided to choke him as he raped him, this after beating the living hell out of him, all in front of his beloved brothers. They had to hate him now, he was dirty but then he had always been dirty. "No, Seth, if we get rid of him now, while your still under age we could be split up! Just wait! _Please _big brother, you know I will never survive without the two of you!" Seto sobbed feeling pathetic and weak and dirty and vile.

Flinching away from his brothers out stretched hand Seto turned on his side, away from the pair who were watching him with equally sad, disappointed gazes, curling his lengthy frame up, he was so tall now that he towered over his brothers, almost six feet. Hugging himself he let the tears that had burned inside for so long now it seem like forever slide, silently from his eyes.

They knew.

They knew and soon they would be free to leave and live in peace.

'_Maybe I should just off him now. It would be so easy and then Seth and Mokuba could leave and be rid of me,'_he thought miserably as the matrass dipped behind him and he felt Seth pull his unresponsive lower half upon the large bed. Moments after the sensation hit him he was surrounded by his bid brothers arms, pulled into a hug he wanted desperately yet shrank away from and Mokuba slid up on his other side hugging him that way as well.

Sleep beaconed sweetly, and safe in the cocoon of his brothers' warmth and feeling their love Seto allowed it to over come him sweep him under and into the caressing oblivion of sleep.

**Age 16**

Now at six foot two Seto glared across the room at his stepfather, trembling with rage, he had gone too far this time. Had threatened to _'off load the extra baggage'_ that was Mokuba and Seth Kaiba. Walking quickly towards the man who had his back turned Seto did the first irrational thing of his life. He rammed as hard as he could into the other man sending him hard into the safety glass of the twenty third-story window, causing the small, metallic latch to crack under the pressure.

"You'll not touch my brothers!" Seto cried before shoving him again as the window latch broke and the mammoth of a man fell as Seto quickly righted himself and turned to the computer. He'd just killed his stepfather and had to act quickly, Gozubora had no cameras in the office, as he liked to 'play' with Seto and others in there so he'd had them removed so being caught _murdering _his step-father on tape wasn't an issue. Pulling up several files he left them displayed on the screen before curling up in the far corner tears of relief falling from his eyes as he shook.

The police would think it shock and leave him be, he'd sob and shack his way through an interview. He knew how to lie and lie well so they would believe him if he claimed he and his step father had had an argument and the man had lost his temper. He already had a bruises from were the man had hit him before making that comment on his brothers so he could claim that the man had struck him then turned to the window and smacked himself against it in a fit of rage, before accidentally falling to his death.

Seth would be turning eighteen that weekend, the courts would surly allow him to be their guardian so Gozubora had died a little a head of schedule, a little hiccup nothing more. The far door burst open police storming in and he let out a small sob curling up on his self, "Mr Kaiba, Seto is that you?" a voice he remembered asked and Seto looked up to see Aito Ehime from when…

"I…" he tried looking down and away hiding his face the adrenaline had worn off and he was tired and wanted to sleep, he'd just killed a man…he was no better than his daddy now.


	2. Part 2 THE BAKURAS

_**Yu-Gi-Oh!, and the characters therein, are the property of Kazuki Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or 4Kids Ent., FUNimation, TV Tokyo/NAS/Studio Gallop**_

_A quick thank you to my pal __sonata hirano__ for all her help and __Ireina Kurotsuki__for their help and BETAing and stuff!_

_Boredom; an odd thing that leaves little but ideas to play with, there are going to be four of these 'history logs' one for Seto, one for Ryou and Bakura and one for the Mouto's and the Ishtars_

Touch the Darkness, Claim the Light

**Part 2: The Bakura's**

_**Every light needs a darkness and sometimes in the darkest of places one can find the purest of that illusive innocence.**_

**Earliest memory/3**

"Sweetheart isn't he beautiful, so like his brother!" an elderly woman gushed above the small infant, only a few weeks old, his hair rich and dark as night it texture much like silk. "Isn't he mother, why Francis and I were so shocked at the likeness of our boys. We did not think we would have two angels in our lives," his mother cooed cradling the small child who nuzzled her breast allowing sleep to catch him as his brothers' voice filled the silence, "Mamma, Thys is going to sleep! Can I hold him?"

**Age 5/8**

A smash of glass upon a wall, the shattering of china woke the small child who whimpered fearing that anger would land upon him and his beloved brother Amen. Shrieks of rage, and pain greet his ears and he gave into the urge to cover his head with his pillow, trembling with fear. This wasn't how Mummy's where on the TV, they were nice and sweet and gave out lots of hugs and kisses and cookies even after the child had been naughty.

"Thys!" a voice called and he glance through the crack between his pillow and the matrass to see his brother standing there, tall and proud, his crimson eyes, the colour of blood, having gone cold. "Thys can I sleep in here with you?" he asked, just as he always did when their mother got like this. Annoyed and angry that her husband had left her with two very opposite children that at times were hard to raise, that he had fled her and his family to dig up some old ruin or chase some myth that never came through.

"Please," Thys whimpered as another glass shattered upon a wall below and Amen walked over quickly sliding in beside his younger sibling happy to have the physical connection with his brother, it always calmed the voices in his head, eased away some of that pain. "Sleep, I'll watch over you, my Thys," he whispered holding the smaller boy close.

**Age 6/9**

Thys grinned as his brother wished him a happy birthday and handed him a small, plush that looked like the puppy he had wanted at the pet store, though he knew his brother hadn't bought it the right way. He'd taken a five-fingered discount on the toy, just so his little brother could have at least one gift on his birthday. He always made sure.

"Thank you Amen! I love him!" Thys cried jumping up and down before jumping on his brother to hug him, hug him hard enough that he could barely breath.

"I'm glade you like it little bro," he laughed hugging his light tighter, knowing the small child could feel the waves of hatred and pain that always followed their mother. A woman who used to be so loving, so kind, now nothing more than a painful husk of the woman she once was. Pulling away from each other as they heard her loud steps fall upon the stairs of the two story house they live in the shuffle of her worn, old sleepers on the floor boards and the click of the bathroom door as the thigh was closed. Thys trembling as sadness, determination and pain radiated from that room, as his big brother no longer holding him, no longer buffering the things his senses picked up and fell to his knees as it all cut off abruptly.

She was gone, she had taken her own life to get away from a life, and a family she could no longer stand.

**Age 8/11**

"THYS! Get you butt over here!" his father shouted and the small, delicate child rushed to his and his brothers side, his brother now eleven, now losing all that made him a child, his eyes cold, hard with knowledge of things best left unsaid. "Yes Papa?" he asked softly only to be knock harshly upon the head. "Gah! Boy grow up! You're a man act like it you little sissy!" his father shouted as Amen glared at his back not touching him though, not causing the old man pain as he listened to his fathers thoughts, _He's just like that stupid ho, gah why won't he just kill himself and off his baggage from Amen and I?!_

Rage boiled deep within in and his body shook with it, to think such unfair things of a child, of his own blood kin, of his own son! Rage built behind his silver eyes and the boy glanced at his brother knowing the boy was picking up their fathers' rage, his hate and his own anger. He knew that Thys's long, lush hair would begin to lighten very soon, going grey before it turned a stunning shade of white, much like his hair had, just after their mother had died. "Sorry Papa," the eight year old whimpered looking down and away trembling under the force of their fathers emotions.

Hours passed as they dusted old stones and slowly uncovered the ruins beneath the sand Amen looking up suddenly looking to his brother and saying in a calm, forcefully controlled voice "Thys go get some water, Father will need a drink soon." His mental voice filling the boys head, urgent, _'Thys go. And stay away. Bandits have come!'_ and Thys looked up alarmed, knowing that the older boy would be staying behind, to try to protect their father who wouldn't listen to a word either said in warning.

Scampering off as quickly as he could Thys slid into the caravan and slid under the bed, into a hidden storage compartment he and his brother had found, trying to block out the emotions flooding him. Fear, anger, arousal and anticipation, excitement and a sudden rush of grief before it all cut off and the world, already dark went black as he lost consciousness, his black hair becoming a dull, concert coloured grey.

**Age 9/12**

"Mr Bogard?" the gravely voiced social worker said as the door opened to reveal a tall is, rounding man dressed in slacks, a white button up, complete with tie and matching jacket. His black shoes where shinny and obviously well taken care of and all Amen could think was that his grandfather was so anal about his appearance. "The bastards dead then, Amen, Thys go inside," he ordered and Amen took his brothers hand pulling him along, into the older style, very British house that was anally clean.

**Age 11/14**

"Grand mother?" Thys called entering the house that seemed filled with negative emotion his shoulders rounding as he saw his brother unconscious upon the floor. "Amen?" he asked kneeling down as a black shadow fell over him and he glanced up only to cry out as he was hit over the head, his world going blank as a voice filled his head, "K' we gotta go! The coppers are coming!"

--

"Thys Micheals, did you see anything?" the man asked the small boy who sat quietly in his hospital bed a few days later, the room blank, sterial, white and unfriendly, the only welcoming, comforting thing being his brother who sat in his own bed, staring at the police detective. _'Tell him what ever you remember Thys, he really wants to help us,' _his brothers voice came and Thys swallowed reaching up to touch his now shock white hair, now identical to his brothers. "I walked into our…The Bogard house and called for my…our grandmother, I had a bad feeling and then I saw Amen lying on the ground. He wasn't moving so I went to check on him but once I was at his side someone came up behind me, the last thing I heard was someone talking to another called _K'_."

"K'?" the tall grey eyed man asked and Thys nodded.

"Thank you son, this could have just caught your grandparent murders," he murmured leaving the room. "Amen, he's hard to read," Thys murmured and Amen scoffed, "Yeah, I know. Either he's one of us or he's experienced a lot of emotional trauma causing him to loss touch with his emotions. Cold."

"I don't like not being able to read someone."

**Age 12/15**

"Thys, Amen, I'm sorry boys but we're going to have to take you into protective custody, this has happened too many times," Mr Beart said with a resigned sigh, this was the third time someone had targeted the brothers and Amen nodded. "We understand, but we must be kept together," he said his voice coxing and before the man could voice the protest that filled him mind Amen reached out, touching that thought and filling the mans mind with agreement. He thought that would be for the best. The pair had lost so much already, to separate them would be cruel and he was not a cruel person. It would also make it easier to protect the boys.

"Alrightm I'll talk to our legal department and have them set you up with new identities, for now you have to remain with us."

**Age 16/19**

Yuugi couldn't help but stare at the new boy, he could feel this boy had a gift as any with a talent could, his long hair a startling shade of blond, so pale it was white, his brown, soft chocolate coloured eyes were large, filled with softness and innocence. "My name is Ryo Bakura, nice to meet you all…" he murmured after the teacher had told him to introduce himself to the class and Yuugi knew they would be friends even as Jou leaned over and whispered overly loudly, "Hay Yug, are you think'en what I iz thinken?"

"I don't know Jou, you tell me," Yuugi giggled and the blond flashed him a grin, "That kid is gonna be one of us, right!"

--

"Akefia?" the teacher murmured and the teen before him nodded, "Bakura preferably, Sir," mock respect in his voice, a voice that crawled along the chemistry teacher's skin and he thought _This kid is going to be giving me hell all year, I can tell. Gods help me if he and Marik befriend each other!_ "You can sit by Kaiba. The boy at the back with the book," he said with a resigned sigh and almost crimson eyes scanned the room, where his peers stared at him with interest only two sets of eyes not watching his every move. One a sandy haired boy, who had to be at least two years his junior, who was fiddling with a, what looked like a sharpened letter opener. His blue uniform was worn open, much like his own, his sneakers obviously expensive as their souls gleaned in the harsh lighting.

The boy was propped back on his chair, the thing only resting on two legs as he cleaned his nails with a bored air to him. The other boy who wasn't watching him like he was a sideshow freak was the boy he was to sit next to, who was also younger than everyone else in the class room, by at least two years. His brown hair hung down and his blue eyes remained on the book in his gloved hand even as Bakura wondered over drooping his books none to gently onto the table. The only indication that he was even noticed was the slight withdrawal, the boys thin frame moving slightly away from him as if he didn't want any kind of contact with the British blond.

'_Don't worry about that, Kaiba-bastard doesn't let anyone touch him, Amen,'_ a thought came and Bakura looked around slightly worried, no one should know that name, the only one who should would be his brother and their case worker. Amen was dead. _'Young sexy blond on your other side, and don't fret, I'm a precog, I saw your sorry arse years ago,'_ red eyes darted sideways, to the sandy hair blond he'd been looking at earlier and the boy had the ardasity to smirk at him and give a small wave.

'_Don't even think about beating me up, I can see every move you make, before you can even think to make it,' _

Hissing slight Bakura shot back, _'And I can read your every thought so I know which moves not to make and which moves you'll make to counteract every move I make.'_

Silence filled his mind for a moment as the students around them stoped chattering and took the notes from the bored, the brunet beside him also jotting them down with a bored, I-know-all-this-already air to him. Before he could reach out to touch the boys' mind, the other boy's mental voice filled his head, _'Don't bother, you won't get anything. The boy has mental shields the size of warzoo.' '…your really starting to annoy me,' _

"Mr Kaiba would you please put your book away!"


	3. Part 3 THE MOUTO BROTHERS

_**Yu-Gi-Oh!, and the characters therein, are the property of Kazuki Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or 4Kids Ent., FUNimation, TV Tokyo/NAS/Studio Gallop**_

_A quick thank you to my pal __sonata hirano__ for all her help and __Ireina Kurotsuki__for their help and BETAing and stuff!_

**I'd also like to thank all my reviewers, you words of encouragement mean much.**

_Boredom; an odd thing that leaves little but ideas to play with, there are going to be four of these 'history logs' one for Seto, one for Ryou and Bakura and one for the Mouto's and the Ishtars_

**Touch the Darkness, Claim the Light**

**Part 3: the Mouto brothers**

_**Every light needs a darkness and sometimes in the darkest of places one can find the purest of that illusive innocence.**_

**Earliest memory/3**

"Father careful!" his mother snapped as the elderly man now holding him cradled him securely against his chest, making him feel much safer than he ever had in either of his parents arms, truthfully, other than this man, and his brother Atem he didn't like to be held by anyone. They made him uncomfortable and he cuddled closer to the rounded man who held him, meeting his big brothers crimson gaze as the older boy crawled up onto the couch beside them.

"I'm sorry dear," the man murmured looking down at the tiny baby he held, it was rather obvious that like him, both his grandchildren were going to be diminutive, his own son was well over six foot, the family trait having skipped his generation. Though he had to admit he would have preferred someone else as his sons wife, a woman who had refuse to marry him until she had found herself pregnant with their eldest, Atem.

"Yes well just don't drop the runt," she snipped with a sniff of distant and the man looked down whispering "Don't worry Yuugi, I won't drop you."

**Age 5/8**

"Father I'm sorry but I must get to the hospital, please watch the boys for me," Yoshi said before kneeling before his sons, both beautiful boys, watching his with those unusual eyes, eyes of darkness and light. "My boys, don't fret, okay, Mummy and I'll be back soon, she's had a little accident and you have to stay here while I sort it all out okay," he murmured as Yuugi poked him between the eyes. His lips curved with a small sweet smile, "Okay dad, Big bro will keep the shadows at bay, just like you do. Don't let the doctors eat Mummy, I think it would give them tummy aches!"

Chuckling he nodded standing his large hand ruffling Atems spiky bangs before turning and walking away, Soloman ushering the boys into the shop, his lavender eyes filled with sadness, he knew what his son would be told. He'd dreamt of it, he would find his wives still warm body on a gurney, her lifeless corpse awaiting burial and he would be told they had done every in their power to save her. She had died and Yoshi would have to pick up the pieces she left behind after her suicidal race from the house.

**Age 6/8**

"I'm so sorry for you loss," the man before them murmured his golden gaze locked with Yoshi's his wife at his side, both 'good' friends of the deceased woman who had just been lowered into her final, earthly bed. "How are you and the boys coping?" Cyndia asked looking down at the tiny boys, both dressed in small black suits, white flowers tucked into the breast pocket, Soloman at his sons' side. "As well as can be expected I guess, I know that she wasn't an easy woman to like and I must thank your continued friendship with her. It helped her a lot," Yoshi murmured feeling his youngest son reaching out he took the boys tiny hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Dad, do you think mummy is happy?" Yuugi murmured as eyes turned to him and Yoshi nodded, thankful for both his sons' innate maturity, though he was sure that once home, Yuugi would burst into tears and need to be held. The boy was light and his large eyes already held the threat of water works. "I'm positive, she's probably watching over us now, knowing how much we love her," Yoshi whispered to the boy and he grinned, "Can we go by her favourite ice-creamery on the way home? And buy some of those light fruity things she liked?"

"Sure Yuugi, that's a great idea."

**Age 8/11**

"Yuugi your doing it again!" Atem murmured looking over at the content looking boy who was curled before the fire of their grandfathers' small house with a book in his lap his small, round face flushed as he floated a good six inches off of the floor. They often came to their grandfathers after school, so that they weren't home alone and their father could continue his work without worrying too much. Though this visit had been extended, it had been nearly a week since they'd seen or heard from their father, "Opps, sorry Atem," Yuugi said looking up in slight shock his small frame hitting the floor roughly.

"Its okay just watch it, we don't want too many people seeing what we can do," Atem murmured, their father and grandfather had already explained what could happen to them, should someone notice their extra abilities. They had already been told they would find their 'other-half' in their teenage years, or possibly early twenties, after that they would be either too weak, or too consumed by darkness to be able to survive and would die before their thirty-fifth birthday.

"Hay Atem, did you know that big cats, like lions and that can't purr, their vocal cords are too long," Yuugi murmured and Atem shook his head, "No I did…grandfather, whats wrong?" he asked looking over at the suddenly old looking man. "The police just called," Soloman murmured easing himself into his recliner, "They've found your fathers car, its empty, though there are signs of a struggle, Yoshi is still missing. Aito, the detective in charge of his case is going to keep looking but he says its likely that Yoshi is dead," he told the boys bluntly.

They deserved to know, to understand that their father, his only child, may be gone forever.

**Age 10/13**

"Get him Tooru!" a voice called before a cry Atem knew reached his ears, sending his rushing across the school yard of Domino Elementary. Rounding the far corner of the large building as another small boy, though he was larger than both Yuugi and Atem, kicked viciously into the smaller brothers' stomach. "Ah! Please stop this, I need to get home!" Yuugi begged, and another boy bent down his hand reaching for Yuugi, presumably his long, spiky hair.

"I suggest, _strongly_, that you leave my brother alone," Atem murmured coolly, his crimson eyes becoming hard, cold, apathetic as he leant against the wall, all eyes turning to him, one set filled with relief the others mocking. "And if we don't?" the one who had kicked his brother sneered, none of the bullies noticing the thickening darkness around the small teen. "Then you die," he murmured as a smallish half black half white dragon **(1) **darted out from behind him, rushing the group who stumbled back with looks of fear and bemusement.

Scrambling to his feet Yuugi clamoured to his brother, falling into the older boys protective embrace whispering, "Big Brother please! Don't kill them, you know what Grandpa said about doing evil with out magic!" Looking down at the beaten boy he held Atem glared at the fleeing boys and cut of his summon, it was actually one of the largest to date, his anger lending him control. "Come on Yuug, let's go home, Grandpa must be worried sick," Atem murmured back, leading Yuugi away from the terrorised children.

"I think he got the shipment today, you know the one I'm talking about," he said socialbly watching the fear turn to curiosity and joy before his brother took his hand and started to pull, his small legs running, "Come on! We gotta hurry! I wanna see if its as cool as what grandpa said!"

Age 12/15

"Atem! Yuugi!" a voice called from the downstairs store and the pair looked at each other before rushing down the stairs, laughing as they raced "Yes Grandpa?" their voices came, intertwined, and the elderly man looked over, away from the rough looking blond and his equally rough looking friend. "Boys, these two young men have asked to speak with you," he murmured looking Atem straight in the eye, the boy reading his want of him, the order to protect the little light.

"Hi Joey! Hay Tristan!" Yuugi said gleefully giving both boys a large, childlike smile, his eyes sparkling with happiness. "Hay Yuugi, I hope you don' mind us intrud'en a' all," Joey murmured smiling back, unable to not give into the others infectious joy.

"Not at all, Grandpa, is it alright if Joey and Tristan come upstairs? Please," Yuugi asked looking over at the elderly man, who gave a small smile, "Sure, Atem," he nodded and Atem inclined his head, before tugging his brother upstairs. None of the Mouto's noticing the exchanged glance Tristan and Joey shared both wondering about the silent shadow that was Yuugis older brother.

"So what can we do for you guys?" Yuugi asked curling up in front of the fire on his cushion, "We were kinda wonder'en if ya want'ed to come hang wiff us, ya know go ta da arcde and dat!" Joey murmured as he and Tristan sat on the two-seater couch under the watchful eyes of Atem Mouto.

**Age 15/17**

"Big brother! Grandpa!" Yuugi called racing into the store Joey, Tristan and Tea' all at his heals, "Upstairs, Yuug!" Atem's voice came, floating down the stairs and the boys took them two at a time coming into the room holding up a piece of A4 paper. "Big Brother, Grandpa guess what!" he said bouncing up and down, as Atem came out of the kitchen drying his hands on a tea towel "What little one?"

"I got in!" he squealed shoving the paper into his brothers face, "We all got in! I'll be going to your school and Joey and Tea and Tristan will too and it'll be soooo much fun!" he said as his brother read over the report. "Great, good job, little one and you guys too," Atem said with a smile, his whole face softened by it and his brothers hyperactive joy. Blushing at the older boys praise Joey scuffed his foot and looked away, Tristan laughed and scratched the back of his head as Tea' floated over on cloud nine hugging the smaller teen saying, "Yes it will be _great_. We can all sit together, study _together._" His smile now somewhat forced Atem disentangled himself from the younger teenager and hugged his brother whispering, "If she hugs me like that again I'm going to get the Man Eating Bug to eat her."

Giggling at the false threat Yuugi latched onto his brother and squealed when Atem began to tickle him, the older boy knowing his spots so well that it was only a small matter to get Yuugi in hysterical.

**Age 15/18**

"Hi I'm Malik," the blond before him grated as he took the seat across from him. Joey looking rather stunned that the boy would have the courage to do so even as Yuugi grinned, "I'm Yuugi, that's Joey, Tea, Tristan and the boy coming towards us now is my big brother, Atem!" Waving at his brother Yuugi bounced happily, the first day and already a new friend, Senior High was cool. "Oh I know, my big brother is in his chem class, hay is it true you can float?" Malik asked with a slightly insane grin frowning when Yuugis smile faltered and the boy looked at him with very serious eyes, "What can you do?" not bothering to make excuses, all his friends knew he could do it, it happened a lot when he was very comfortable.

"Pyro, and my big brother is a precog," Malik said as Atem took his spot at the edge of the table, beside his brother, "…another Ishtar?" he asked looking at his brother who nodded, "Their like us." And crimson eyes met lavender his senses stretching to test what the boy was, light or dark. "He's like you," Atem corrected and Yuugi shrugged, "Its all the same, just different shades of grey," happily taking a bite out of his chicken and avocado and lettus sandwich.

"Is your brother going to be joining us?" Atem asked the sandy haired blond as he took in the boys appearance, freshly pressed uniform, though the small collection of buttons, was not apart of the uniform, each ranging from pink to a fluorescent blue and different sayings most with cuss words. His hair was long, framing his youthful, vaguely feminine features, his eyes large and slightly insane, though given the boys ability it was a given.

"Not yet…tomorrow I think he said something about another dark and light coming and he wouldn't be joining us until the two got here, said it would be boring," Malik said a he slid a fad stick into his mouth, lips perusing sensuously. Looking around Yuugi frowned at the sight of a young boy, not much younger than his own brother sitting alone, a single tub of yogurt in front of him as he read, both hands covered in thin expensive looking gloves. Following his brothers gaze Atem murmured, "He's in my maths class, seventeen and smart as Satan," looking up at his brother Yuugi asked, "Why is he all alone?"

"Don't know, he came in end of last year, skittish as a kitten and quiet, his names Kaiba Seto, though you never call him Seto he doesn't respond to it. Just Kaiba. He's a light," Atem said as Malik glanced over and said, "Don't worry, big brother says that the dark of the newbies will help, just like the light."


	4. Part 4 THE ISHTAR CLAN

_**Yu-Gi-Oh!, and the characters therein, are the property of Kazuki Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or 4Kids Ent., FUNimation, TV Tokyo/NAS/Studio Gallop**_

_A quick thank you to my pal __sonata hirano__ for all her help and __Ireina Kurotsuki__for their help and BETAing and stuff!_

_**Again thank you to all those who have reviewed! I love your words of encouragement and praise and eagerly await your verdict on these chapters!**_

_Boredom; an odd thing that leaves little but ideas to play with, there are going to be four of these 'history logs' one for Seto, one for Ryou and one for Yugi and Marik._

_**Touch the Darkness, Claim the Light**_

Part 4: Ishtar Clan

_**Every light needs a darkness and sometimes in the darkest of places one can find the purest of that illusive innocence.**_

**Earliest memory**

"What do you mean Mama is dead?" a voice came as hurried footsteps filled the small birthing chamber at the end of the hall, were a woman lay pale and still, her blood soaking into the sheets as the other occupants worked to save the small, almost blue infant. "I saw!" a young male voice replied, thick with tears and the youngest man turned to the door to see his four year old daughter carrying his son. Isis his daughter his beautiful daughter who was neither dark nor light, a skipped child, her hair a rich black, her eyes large, and deep, beautiful blue framed by long thick dark lashes, her face heart shaped and holding the promise of elegant and heart rendering beauty. And Marik, his one year old son who see, so much older, his lavender eyes holding the eerie knowlegde of the future, his hair a mop of sandy blond.

Both children looking distraught at the thought of their mothers passing. A shriek from infant lung filled the room and silenced the children who froze in the doorway seeing both their mothers corpse and their father, who as always looked unmoved, untouched, completely indifferent about the situation.

"Master, your son," the elderly doctor murmured bowing as he held out the crying child, its head covered by a stock of sandy hair. His small blue face slowly turning a reddish purple, and the man stared at it in cold regard before saying, "Isis, collect the boy from Mr Tombs." Inching forward she took the child into her arms, Marik hanging effortlessly from his sling, "Name it," he ordered, and Marik said, "Malik, ittle brother Malik."

"Sir, Malik, Malik Ishtar," Isis repeated knowing that her other brother could see things not meant to be seen, even in infancy.

**Age 4/5/9**

"Papa!" he called holding up both hands as the golden skinned man walked into the dark room, "look!" he cried as dark eyes turned to him, his small hands suddenly covered with a rich red flame that licked the air. "Malik," a purr came and he looked up in fear, he'd heard that tone before lavender eyes turning to see his four year old baby brother, whose hands dance with Ra's light trembling before their father. The boy was a fragile version of himself in many ways, his hair long and rich, a golden sandy shade of blond that would go white if exposed to the sun for too long. His skin naturally tan and his eyes a beautiful shade of lavender that held magic, an innocence that he knew would soon be lost. "M_alik..._" he whispered as the large man reached out grabbing the boy the flames snuffing out as his sister reached for him.

"Marik, we cannot protect him! Not yet, save your anger!" Isis hissed turning him to her chest and they stayed like that in the shadows as the screams of their brother rung through the caverns of the ancient temple. "Soon, soon we will be free, and he will be loved and you will be loved and he will _never _hurt us again. I swear, I have seen it," she whispered and he froze as a flicker of a face touched his mind, a small round, cherub like boy with the largest, most innocent eyes he'd ever seen and the sense of home before another touched him, replacing that innocent child.

Brown hair and hardened eyes, eyes that burned with determination and the sense of peace, of family calmed him, allowing him to reply to his sisters harried whispers, "Yes, I see, I see them, I see our future homes." Even as another face found its way into his vision, a man with silver hair, and sad brown eyes, his heart broken and filled with longing.

**Age 7/8/12**

"Stop it!" Malik scream as the drunken man who was supposedly his sire touched him, trying to remove the thin coverings that protected him from the mans lewd fumbling. They all knew the cause of his, their fathers madness, the loss of their mother, the loss of his light causing the dark to consume him. Fear rushed him as Marik and Isis froze in the doorway having come to sooth their brothers nightmares only to walk into one. "Stop!" Malik screamed as flames burst from him, eating at the bed and the man above him who screamed in pain and horror.

"Stop Touching Me!" Malik cried tears eveporating in the heat, the flames turning blue and the man to ash, his skeleton crumbling as the flames died, snuffed out by the child's sob's and instantly Isis and Marik where their holding him, Marik pulling him into his lap. Rocking slightly as their sister began the lullaby she had sung to them for years.

"He…he wouldn't…stop!" Malik sobbed into his brothers bare chest and Marik nodded, "I know, hush, little brother hush, it won't be long before you meet him, the dark to your light, he'll protect you as he does his family, he'll love you and sing to you and sooth your fears." Trying to imagine the man his brother described "Does he have blue eyes, I hope so," he whispered before letting his exhaustion over take him and let himself fall into a deep, dreamless slumber.

**Age 10/11/15**

"Lady Ishtar!" Radish called as the regal teen walked passed him her hands filled with scrolls and rolled up maps, "Hmm? Oh yes Radish?" she asked, "There's a call for you from that Japanese archaeologist, Mr Soloman Mouto. He said he'd like to talk to you about the offer you made," Radish replied as both her brother walked into the room Malik clicking is fingers to light all the candles that filled corners and decorated tables.

"He's going to take it," Marik said almost absently as Malik stared off into space, obviously trying to _see_ the elderly specialist. "Very well, thank you Radish, boys I need you to go talk to that Phillip. He's been hounding me again," Isis said continuing on her path as the boy glanced at each other annoyance filling both sets of lavender eyes at the mention of the English man who lived down the block.

"Don't worry sister," Marik said as Malik finished his sentence his voice echoing truth, "He's toast."

**Age 11/12/16**

_White; shock white stands of hair framed the mans face his cruel crimson eyes promising darkness and pain, and the knowledge filled him that this man could read his every thought, could dig deep into his mind and twist his, break him without breaking into a sweat. All with his mind. _

_Blue eyes, dead, sad blue eyes, like the ones that promised protection and comfort, only dulled by experience, and he reached out wanting to take away that pain, to protect him, as he protected his own kin. The pale fleshed man flinched away, trembling as his bare skin touched a golden candle holder, the ancient piece filling his mind with memories, memories so old and at time dark that he cried out in pain, in shame._

_That cherub faced boy, his eyes alight with happiness, the sense of home filling him and he wrapped his incorporeal form around the childlike man. He giggled his eyes changed, going cold and crimson, his face hardening, ageing and Marik was pushed away as a smaller, younger, lighter version of the white haired man rushed up calling out a name he couldn't hear. The boy falling into the older version of __**his**__ light who wrapped himself around the boy and Marik felt a hand in his, dragging his eyes over to the smiling light. __**His**__ smiling, innocent light who pointed and Marik saw his brother surrounded by flames trembling as if something inside him was broken._

_Trying to rush to help him, to save his little brother, his slightly crazy little brother Marik was stoped by his light again who pointed back and Marik looked over almost afraid of what he would see. The strong one, the strong, protective blue eyed man, though he was not whole, his strong arms propelling the wheelchair through the flames. _

_Then they were gone, the flames his brother now cradled in the lap of the chair bound man the small light of the older brother of his light still entangled with the boy beside them, the others. The older white haired telepathy and the broken blue eyes standing almost close enough to touch. The older of the two obviously protective of the broken light and suddenly he was being pulled forward, his light, his little cherub pulling him into the circle._

Gasping as he woke Marik looked around the aircraft his eye landing on first his sister who chatted on the phone and then his baby brother who sat watching the sky with almost a bored detachment. Gancing over at his brother Malik frowned and asked, "Big brother are you alright?" Nodding Marik said, "Strange dream is all little brother."

**Age 14/15/19**

"So this is our new home?" Malik asked looking around the penthouse apartment, "Yes Malik, your enrolled at the privet school, and Marik is enrolled at Domino Senior High," Isis said opening the first door, showing a large closet, "Shoes and coats." And only once they removed said articles of clothing did she allow them to run around and claim which rooms were to be theirs. Her room was already set up.

--

"Everyone this is Mr Marik Ishtar, I want you all to be nice to him, got it," Mr Arai said and Marik looked around spotting the older of the boy he had come to think of as his light and had another flash of the future, two year. He had two years before he could make the boy his. Lavender eyes met crimson and they both nodded slowly in a small sign of respect listening only vaguely as he was assigned a seat in the back row, at the only empty table.

Flickers of possible futures flashed behind his eyes and he had to force his shields to work, to block out the future of the girl in the front row who would go home tonight to find out that her work addict father had died in a car accident. And that the girl in the third row, next to the dark version of his light would end up pregnant by her dead beat boy friend who would dump her the second he found out.

And that Mr-Dark would go home to find his little brother, Marik's light floating on cloud nine, having aced a test.

**Age 16/17/21**

"Hay squirt!" Marik called as his brother raced around the house trying to get ready for his first day at the crappy hell known as Domino Senior High, "Yes Marik?" Malik asked pocking his head out the bathroom door his pink tooth brush still in his mouth. "You'll be meeting a kid today, small cherub face, big violet eyes and spiky tri colour hair. Sit with him. Befriend him," Marik said and Malik nodded, "Can I know why or does that muck with your can't change the future hyp?"

"He's mine,"

"Cool,"

"And he leads us to yours,"

"Really?" Malik asked, bouncing up and down, "When do I meant my dark? What's he gonna be like? Will he like me?"

"Calm down brat!" Marik shouted glaring at his younger sibling "I can't tell you. If I do it could change things."

"Fine!"

--

Watching from across the hall Marik smiled at the abrupt way Malik, in true Malik form, introduced himself to his light and his lights friends. Instantly blending with the group, even chatting with Atem Mouto, his lights older brother. The only stuff up the boy made with asking if his light could float, he'd told him what he'd seen, some of it anyway, too excited at the thought of being near his light and being able to talk to him to not tell his little brother about the boy.

Noticing their interest in young Kaiba Marik glanced over remembering the flashes of fate he'd picked up ever since the boy had turned up, all the pieces falling into place, for what Marik could only guess. Tomorrow, tomorrow the Bakuras came, he'd picked up their names from an unsuspecting teacher, and then things could really begin…

A/N

The D/L (**Dark light)** gene can be passed through only one parent, like in Seto and Seths case, and can skip a generation again like Seto and Seths dead biological father and Mouto Soloman. The D/L can also develop through mass trauma in the parents' life and cause their children to need a light or dark to balance them out.

The D/L gene can also cause men to be able to carry a child though they need to have it surgically removed as the entry point of the '_fathers_' sperm is too small for a child to pass through. _Only Lights can carry._ D/L also opens the pathway to _human potential _or psychic talent and often those with a latent D/L gene will have a small talent in some way. Darks and Lights can have more than one talent though one will be dominant while the other is only a small talent


	5. A walking Dream

_**Yu-Gi-Oh!, and the characters therein, are the property of Kazuki Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or 4Kids Ent., FUNimation, TV Tokyo/NAS/Studio Gallop**_

_A quick thank you to my pal __sonata hirano__ for all her help and __Ireina Kurotsukin__ for their help and BETAing and stuff!_

_**Again thank you to all those who have reviewed! To the four people who have favourited, the eight who have alerted and to the sixty-five wonderful people whom have stuck with this series!**_

_**Touch the Darkness, Claim the Light**_

Chapter 1: A walking Dream

_**Every light needs a darkness and sometimes in the darkest of places one can find the purest of that illusive innocence.**_

Swallowing Seto glanced over at the blond boy, well man, beside him, who quietly jotted down the notes the teacher dictated to them. His presence a weight, heavy and flowing and though the weight of his personality threatened to snap Seto, the man seemed to lift the weight of his own making from his thin shoulders. The urge to lean over and just rest against the older boy flooded him and it was all he could do not to and in an effort to stay this strange, frightening reaction he lifted his novel, trying to bury himself into the fictional story of love, loss and fantasy.

Luckily the older boy seemed slightly distracted, the psychic energy bouncing between him and Marik Ishtar telling the younger all he needed to know and just as he immersed himself into the fiction in his hand the teachers voice boomed across the room. "Mr Kaiba would you please put your book away!" he snapped and the brief thought of disobeying crossed his mind but was quickly quelled by what Seth had said only a few days before. The warning had been clear, no more calls from teachers, no more complaints about his lack of attention in classes.

Sighing he tossed an irritated glare in the older mans direction irked that this man who probably had an IQ that was only a third of his own was bossing him around. He put his bookmark; an old photo of Mokuba and Seth from at the orphanage between the pages and closed the book sliding it beside his things. Never noticing the attention he had gained from the teachers sudden exclamation of admonishment, Bakura had already finished both the notes the teacher had spoken and some of his own and was watching the boy beside him discretely.

He was both glade and annoyed that the boy on his other side had stopped his chatter. Though he wished the boy would give him some more information on the teen beside him, for normally he would have picked up a stray thought from someone sitting so close to him, even with his shields up. The boy, Kaiba, was slim, almost painfully so, his cheekbones high and prominent beneath his skin, eyes narrowed and a strange, beautiful shade of blue. Thick chestnut hair hung down, blanketing his forehead and hiding those odd eyes.

Eyes that were now focused on him, the warm, heavy weight of a hand pressing against him, against his very soul, though no hand touch his flesh as the intensity of the others stare locked him in place. "Mr Kaiba, Mr Bakura, pay attention!" the man, Mr Tsuyoshi Higa shouted and both boys turned slowly, unwillingly to stare at him, the weight of their joined gazes making the teacher uncomfortable. Shifting he stiffly continued the lesson, both boys now focused upon the lesson taught.

--

"Ryou go sit next to Mr Moto, Moto, hand up!" Mrs Sterling said sharply, her flat brown eyes watching as the new boy walked quietly over to the empty seat beside the small multi-coloured boy. "Now books open, we're taking notes. And Mr Wheeler no talking and take your feet of that table right this instant!" she said before turning her back on the class to write on the white board, her letters large and looping. Glancing at the white haired boy, Yugi turned and with a bright smile said, "Hi, I'm Yuugi Moto!" his voice quiet, and brown eyes looked at him, wide and shocked before a hesitant smile curled his lips. "Hello," he replied in a quiet voice that he always seemed to speak with thinking to himself, _I hope that it's safe to make friends. Brother and I were quite lonely though we had each other._

_**Big brother?**_ He called out quietly and waited patiently for the warmth that always filled him when his brother spoke to him, when the older boys' emotions filled him in a rush of sensations.

_**Yes my Thys?**_

_**Is it safe to make friends now?**_

A pause, a flood of comfort and warmth before the quiet murmur of _**I hope so, little one. I know you crave the companionship of others. Make your friends. I shale always protect you.**_ Sending his brother a hug, and a wash of love, faith and gratitude he turned brown eyes back to the violet-eyed child beside him, "It's nice to met you, Master Moto." A giggle fell from the petite boys' lips as he replied, "Call me Yuugi! Would you like to hang with me and my friends at lunch?"

"Uh…sure, would it be alright if my brother sits with us?" Ryou asked jotting down the notes in a quick, neat, looping swirl of his pen. "Cool, yeah! My big brother sits with us all the time!" Yuugi informed him cheerfully and he was almost overwhelmed by the rush of joy, happy nervousness and something else…something like hope.

**2 am **

Curled around the toilet Seto vomited again, the rancid smell so familiar it was almost comforting to the teen as he hugged the porcelain in his ensuite, something that was almost a nightly occurrence with him. "Brother?" Mokuba's voice came, floating in through his room and he sighed resting his head upon the seat of the thing "In here!" he called back knowing it was useless to stay silent. It made Mokuba worry and fetch Seth, who would then stay up all night with him and he…he didn't want that, didn't want to be a burden. "You were sick again," Mokuba stated sadly as he appeared in the doorway, looking down at his too thin brother, who was covered from head to toe in tight, clingy pyjamas.

"Yeah," Seto sighed standing shakily as his hand rested briefly on the button, depressing it and watching the blue tinted water swirl around, removing all traces of his nightly purging. Quickly brushing his teeth and gargling to remove the remaining taste and smell of the vomit he turned to Mokuba and quickly tugged him out of his bathroom. Allowing himself to be pulled to the neat, still made bed that was pushed to the far side of the room, in the centre of the wall, above it hanging an ornate painting Seth had done of himself and his brothers.

He never slept on that bed, not without one of his brother in it too. It made the nightmares worse if he slept upon it alone. Casting a wary glance at his pallet in far corner, opposite of the large, comfortable bed he crawled in after Mokuba, curling himself around the smaller child, burying his face in his brothers soft, black hair he let himself drift off to the comfort of his brothers warmth and scent. Looking at the door were his eldest brother sat watching them was strained blue eyes, Mokuba sent Seth a sad smile before patting the bed, "Come on Seth…he needs us," he whispered careful not to wake the finally peacefully sleeping teen.

Rolling over Seth pulled himself out of his chair and onto the bed, curling himself behind Seto, murmuring, "This is happening too often, we need to get him help." Silence greeted his comment, settling for a moment before Mokuba replied, "No, he has to seek it. Brother, he's been forced to do too much. Even you have to allow him some…" he trailed off when Seto shifted sleepily leaning furthering into Seths chest as he tugged Mokuba closer, before settling deeper into his dreamless world.

"I just…I hope there is a time that he no longer is plagued by these nightmares, when he can sleep at ease and not have to fear the coming of night," Seth murmured before settling further into the large matrass and allowing sleep to take him.

Mean while half an hour ago, in the heart of Domino a young voice cried out, racketing off the thin walls of the apartment the young owner of the voice shared with his younger brother. A younger brother who had rushed into his room with a _bang_ of his bedroom door upon the wall. "Brother!" Ryou called rushing to the bed said brother occupied as the teen sat, his knees curled to his chest, tears streaming down his pail cheeks as tremors racked his thin form.

Touching his elder brothers arm seemed to bring the boy out of his shock and sent him rushing from the room, the sound and scent of his brothers vomiting only confirming what Ryou had felt. The pain, the rage, helplessness and violation, the shame and self hate that had poured from Akefia had been almost too much. As it was the nightmare his brother had had had pulled him from his slumber and to his brothers side, fear eating away at him. True Akefia had had nightmares before, horrible ones that had left him shaken and useless for hours, but never had he had one that had ripped him from his bed like that.

Knocking quietly on the door of the apartment bathroom they shared Ryou called, "Brother? Amen, can I come in?" silence then a croaked, "Ryou you must stop calling me that." Taking that as a yes, Ryou pushed open the door, looking down as his elder brother hugged the toilet bowl, his check resting upon the seat. "Brother that is your name though," Ryou murmured solemnly and Bakura looked up with tired eyes shaking his head, "Not any more, Ryou, just as you are no longer Tys, I am no longer Amen."

Sliding down the wall in defeat Ryou pulled his knees up to his chest, "What did you read? Who did you read?" Licking his lips only to grimace in disgust Bakura closed his eyes tiredly, "You know that kid at school Hikari? The one who sits alone?" Nodding Ryou shivered as he remembered the boy Joey had pointed out, something Kaiba, the boy was younger than Bakura but older than himself and Ryou hadn't been able to once pick up a flicker of emotion from the boy. It had disturbed him, it was as if the young brunett had no emotion, no feelings at all.

"Yeah. He…he's blocked up. I couldn't pick up a thing from him, why?"

"I tried all day to get through his shields, its…I have never come across a single person I couldn't read. I…I think that because I have been trying to tap into him all day when he went to sleep and his conscious shields fell I was sucked in. He has a bloody good reason, little light for being 'blocked up',"


End file.
